Massage implement



No.750 ,568. H PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904. LBARKBRL MASSAGE I MPLBMBNT.APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26, 1903.

Pat nted January 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BARKER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MASSAGE IMPLEMENT- SPLEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0.750,568, dated January 26, 1904.

Application filed August 26, 1903. Serial No. 170,843. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES BARKER, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Massage Implements, of which the following is aspecification.

One obj eet of my invention is to so construct a massage implement as toimpart a twisting movement to the massage cup or pad, as well as agyrating, oscillating, or vibrating movement, a further object being tosimplify the construction and improve the operation of the instrument byreducing the number of parts to a minimum, dispensing with pivot-pins orjoints likely to become loose, and providing for a rapid and noiselessmovement of the parts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View, partly in section andpartly in elevation, of the handpiece of a massage implement constructedin accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showingthe various elements of the device detached from each other, and Fig. 3is a diagram illustrating one of the features of the invention.

In the drawings, 1 represents a handle whereby the instrument ismanipulated, this handle having a central opening for the reception of asleeve 2, which is enlarged in diameter at the forward end, as shown at3, this enlarged portion being connected to the sleeve 2 by a conicalneck 4, seated in a socket in the forward end of the handle, the sleevebeing rigidly confined to the handle longitudinally by means of a nut 5,adapted to the threaded inner end of the sleeve and bearing upon theinner endof the handle, as shown in Fig. 1. Within the conical neck 1 ofthe sleeve is mounted the conical head 6 of a spindle 7, the latterbeing connected to a flexible shaft 8 or other available driving deviceextending through the sleeve 2 and intended tobe connected to a motor ofany appropriate character whereby it may be rapidly rotated. The outerend of the enlarged portion 3 of the sleeve receives a plug 9, in whichis a concave socket for receiving the semispherical head of a stud 11,whose opposite end has a like semispherical but smaller head 12, whichis adapted to a concave cup 13, formed in the outer face of the conicalhead 6 of the spindle 7 stud after the manner of a ball rocking in asocket. The plug 9 can be adjusted longitudinally in the expandedportion 3 of the sleeve 2, so as to maintain a proper snug fit of thesemispherical heads 10 and 12 in their respective bearings in the plugand spindle-head, the expanded portion 3 of the sleeve being split, asshown at 14 in Fig. 2, and provided with lugs 15 for the reception of aclamp-screw 16, whereby the sleeve can be clamped upon the plug 9, so asto retain the latter in any position of longitudinal adjustment therein.

Passing transversely through the head 10 is a bar 17, which also passesthrough slots 18 in the sleeve 3 and through like slots 19 in the plug9, the outer ends of this bar carrying massage implements of any desiredcharacter. Thus, as shown in the drawings, one end of the bar carries aflaring cup 20 with serrated edge, while the otherend of the bar isprovided with a convex pad 21. The longitudinal axis of the bar 17passes through the point which constitutes the center for the rockingmovement of the head 10, as shown in Fig. 3. Hence as said head rocks itwill have the effect of imparting a partial turning movement to the bar17 and to the massage implements carried thereby. Hence the acting facesof said implements will have a twisting movement around the axis of thebar in addition to their vibrating movement. This will be understood onreference to the diagram Fig. 3, in which the dotted lines a a representthe diametrical line of the bar 17 when the stud 11 occupies a positionmidway between its right and leftswings, as indicated by the dottedlines a a, the dotted lines I) Z) and c 0 representing the diametricalline of the bar 17 when the stud 11 is at the extremes of its right andleft swings, as indicated by the dotted lines I) b and c c. Thistwisting movement of the massage cup, pad, or other implement materiallyincreases the efiectiveness of the same as compared with animplementwhich has only a reciprocating, vibrating, or oscillating movement.

Extending from the head 10 in line with the stud 11 is a stud 22, whichcarries a third implement, that shown in the drawings being a cup 23with plain edge, which cup has a gyrating movement. Hencethree'different effects can be obtained by the use of the threeimplements, change being eflected instantly and without the necessity ofstopping the machine.

If the plug 9 is turned by means of a rim 24, formed thereon for thepurpose, each projecting portion of the bar 17 can be confined betweenone edge of the slot 19 in the plug and the opposite edge of the slot 18in the sleeve 3 when such confinement is desired.

The stem 22 is preferably threaded for adaptation to aninternally-threaded opening in the head 10, so that it serves theadditional purpose of a set-screw for confining the bar 17 to said head10.

As compared with other implements of the class to which my inventionrelates I have attained simplicity of construction, reduction in thenumber of parts to a minimum, and the provision of bearings which can bereadily lubricated and maintained in proper contact with the workingparts. Hence I am enabled to run the implement at high speed and withcomplete absence of noise or vibration due to loose fit of any of theparts.

In some of the claims I have termed the stud 11, with its oppositerounded heads 10 and 12, a vibrator; but some ofthe features of myinvention may be embodied in implements in which the means for impartingmovement to the massage cups or pads differ from the specific devicethus shown and described. Hence those of my claims in which the form ofvibrator is not thus specifically set forth are not to be construed aslimited in this respect.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1. The combination in a massage implement, of the massagemember, a bar carrying the same, and means for imparting to said bar toand-fro movements of partial rotation around the longitudinal axis ofthe bar, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in a massage implement, of the massage member, a barcarrying the same, and means for imparting to said bar to-and -.fromovements of partial rotation around the longitudinal axis of the bar,and other movement in addition to said movement of partial axialrotation, substantially as specified.

3. The combination in a massage implement, of a massage member, a barcarrying the same, and means for imparting to said bar to-and-fromovement of partial rotation around the longitudinal axis of the bar,and also vibratory movement in addition to said movement of partialrotation around its axis, substantially 'as specified.

both of said massage members, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, in a massage implement, of a universally rockinghead, a bearing therefor, and arms projecting in different directionsfrom said rocking head and each carrying a massage member, substantiallyas specified.

6. The combination, in a massage implement, of a mechanically-actuatedcarrier having three arms projecting therefrom in different directions,and a massage member carried by each of said arms, substantially asspecified.

7. The combination, in a massage implement, of a stud havinga roundedhead-block, a concave bearing therefor, means for rocking the block inits bearing, and a bar projecting from said block at an angle in respectto the stud, said bar carrying a massage member at its outer end,substantially as specified.

8. The combination, in a massage implement, of a stud having a roundedhead-block, a concave bearing therefor, means for rocking the block inits bearing, and a bar passing through the block and having at each enda massage member, substantially as specified.

9. The combination, in a massage implement, of a stud having a roundedhead-block, a concave bearing therefor, means for rocking the block inits bearing, a bar passing through said block and having at each end amassage member, and a stem adapted to a threaded opening in the blockand serving as a retainer for said transverse bar, said stem alsocarrying a massage member, substantially as specified.

10. The combination, in a massage implement, of a vibrator consisting ofa stud having rounded heads at its opposite ends, a concave bearing forthe outer head, a shaft having an eccentrically-disposed cup forreceiving the inner head, and a massage member carried by a barprojecting from said vibrator, at an angle to the stud, substantially asspecified.

11. The combination, in a massage implement, of a vibrator consisting ofa stud having rounded heads at its opposite ends, a casing having at oneend a rounded bearing for the outer head, a shaft having a head alsoadapted to a bearing on the casing and having an eccentrically-disposedcup for receiving the inner head, and a massage member carried by IIO abar projecting from said vibrator, substanof the stud is pressed bycontact of the concave bearing with the outer head, and a massage membercarried by a bar projecting from said Vibrator, substantially asspecified.

13. The combination, in a massage implement, of a vibrator consisting ofa stud having at each end a rounded head, a split casing, a plug adaptedthereto and having a concave bearing for the head at the outer end ofthe vibrator, means for contracting the split casing upon the plug, ashaft having a bearing in the casing and an eccentrically-disposed cupreceiving the rounded head at the inner end of the vibrator, and amassage member carried by a bar projecting from said vibrator,substantially as specified.

14. The combination, in a massage implement, of a handpiece having asleeve secured thereto and enlarged in diameter at one end, a vibratorconsisting of a stud having a rounded head at each end, an adjustableplug with rounded bearing for the outer head, a shaft having an enlargedhead seated upon that portion of the sleeve which connects the enlargedand contracted portions of the same,said head having aneccentrically-disposed cup for receiving the inner head of the vibrator,and a massage member carried by a bar projecting from said vibrator,substantially as specified.

15. The combination, in a massage implement, of a handpiece having asleeve secured thereto, said sleeve having an enlarged outer portionconnected to the smaller portion by means of a conical neck, a vibratorconsistin of a stud having a rounded head at each en an adjustable plugadapted to the enlarged portion of the sleeve and having a roundedbearing for receiving the outer head of the vibrator, a shaft having ahead seated upon said conical neck of the sleeve and provided with aneccentrically-disposed cup which receives the inner head of thevibrator, and a massage member carried by a bar projecting from saidvibrator, substantially as specified.

16. The combination, in a massage implement, of a casing having a slottherein, a vibrator consisting of a stud having a rounded head at eachend, a plug adjustable in the casing and having a concave bearing forthe outer head, said plug also having a slot parallel with that in thecasing, a shaft adapted to a bearing in the casing and having aneccentrically-disposed cup for receiving the inner head of the vibrator,and a massage member carried by a bar projecting from said vibratorthrough the slots in the sleeve and plug, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES BARKER. Witnesses:

F. E. BECHTOLD, J os. H. KLEIN.

